fallen | ✓

Chapter 15: "Masky"

Jenny's POV

I skipped across the blacktop, Xavier's blood splashed across my cheek. I dropped the knife behind and ripped the bandages off, still skipping up the hill. I killed him. Those three words whipped across my brain. I killed him. I killed him. The pain of losing a friend always brought a pleasant pain to my chest. I loved it.

I went into a small stone pit and peeked up the other side. It was a small town. No houses. Just shops and bonfires. Mostly bars. I stared at the fire for a moment. There where more people than I expected there to be.. I glanced around and saw a military man, a quite normal looking person, a boy in a mask, and three ladies, dressed in nearly the same outfits of tight trenchcoats. I creeped up and sat next to the fire, on the ground next to a chair.

The military man took out a cigar and lit it. I picked up a rock and threw it at him. "It's a metaphor." I spat. "You're not supposed to light it."

He scowled and leaned back in his chair, puffing. I threw another rock at him. "You. Don't. Light. It." I bit out again. He scowled and got up, shoving past me, taking another puff in my face. I coughed violently, seeing a figure jump from the upward slope, very close to me. My eyes adjusted as the smoke passed. It was Mask Boy. He smirked at me while walking past. He had dried blood on the upper right hand corner of his mask.

I swear to god he had clown makeup on under there. I stood up and sat in the military man's chair, leaning back as if I where him. He came strolling back with a bottle of vodka in his hand. "Out of my chair, insane lady." He snarled. "Make me." I threw my arms wide. He ran over and picked me up, dangling me over the fire. I grinned.

"Drop me." I nodded. He scowled and dropped me on the fire. On contact, pain spread across my side. It was lovely. I got up slowly. "Thank you." I smiled, patting the fire from my scorching clothes. He rolled his eyes and sat back down in his chair, taking a swig of his drink.

I felt a body next to me. I glanced over. It was the boy again. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You're funny." I chuckled and poked his arm. He poked me back. "You're funny, too." I whispered in response, poking him again. "You're funnier." He said flatly, poking me back. "You're funniest." I prodded. He chuckled in response. "You're okay, kid." He rubbed my head.

I laughed a bit high pitched and shoved his shoulder. "Want to take this conversation to the bar?" I asked. "Sure, but I don't drink." He folded his arms and shrugged. "That's respectable." I nodded, walking across the small bridge into the cauldasack at the bottom and making a turn into the bar. I walked in and vaulted over the counter. "Smells like dead bodies.." He grumbled. "You get used to it." I responded, pulling a bottle from the shelf.

"What do you want to drink?" I called over. "I'll have anything, actually." He called back. "What's your name?" I pulled a bottle of clear liquid from the shelf and set it in front of him. "Jenny. That's water, by the way." I hesitated. "What about you?" He grabbed the drink from the counter, popping the cap. "I never got one. Usually people call me Clown or Freak." I grinned. "I'll call you Masky."

~~~

"How do you think we would work out in a relationship?" He asked flatly.

"Excuse me?" I glanced at him, removing the bottle from my mouth.

"You know, murder and love." He chuckled, elbowing me softly in the arm. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. It just didn't work. I slowly exhaled and shoved my hands in my pockets and shrugged. "I don't know." I responded.

"Then lets see how quick you can react to this." He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. I flinched and stared at him for the second. My chest throbbed. "What was that for?" My voice went squeaky. "Just to see how it went." He made an elfish laugh.

I laughed a bit and stuck the bottle back in my mouth, digging my other hand deep into my pocket, coughing. "Where do you want to go now?" He asked. I glanced up and shrugged. "Where ever I guess. I like to explore." He grabbed my hand and pulled me from the small town, going down into the stone pit, then back out again into a long, dark and open plain. "Where now, sweetheart?" He grinned under his mask. "Oh, so I've graduated from crazy girl, to sweetheart?" I giggled, high pitched. "Well if this relationship works.." He chuckled, pulling me along and pulling me into a sewage pipe.

I yelped a protest but before long it was pitch black and I couldn't see a thing. I could only feel his hand. My vision slowly adjusted and I glanced around. It was still dark, but I vaguely saw more sewage pipes, pouring out sparkling water. It was so loud...

"You alright?" He called over. "Sure!" I struggled to get my voice heard over the pouring of water from multiple pipes. "Just a sec, I got my flashlight!" He yelled. I saw a beam of light appear and my pupils dilated. I looked in its path and watched a rat scamper by. I grinned and chuckled.

Masky started pulling me again. I saw a small dim light not too far away. We approached closer when I realized it was another small town. A sewage town! It was nothing much, really. But what do you expect? There was a small fire and a few buildings, not much taller then me. I peeked inside and turned, watching as he plopped down and let out a long and slow exhale.

"How old are you?" He asked. "By judging, you look like you're my age. Fourteen." He nodded.

"Thirteen." I corrected him, sitting on the opposite side of the fire. "You're tall for a thirteen year old." He chuckled. "Yeah." I nodded. "My dad was seven feet tall." He gawked for a moment and coughed. "I hope I get that tall." He said, leaning against a crate. "He turned mutant when I was five.." I exhaled through my nose and stemmed the tears from flowing out of my eyes. "I woke up an orphan." Masky coughed. I glanced at him. "I'm sorry.."

"Don't be." He shrugged it off. "I was the town pet at the time. They always gave me scraps. I got my mask from a lady when I was six. She was the kindest. Wore it ever since." He nodded. I twitched.

I cleared my throat. "I'm blind in one eye."